Potato & Mushroom Croquettes

 

Potato and Mushroom Croquettes

Ingredients:
1.1/2 lbs potatoes - (not waxy ones) - peeled and chopped
1 onion - peeled and finely chopped
1/4 lb. mushrooms (chestnut pref.)
1 tsp. oil
1 tblsp. water
salt/pepper - to taste
1 cup of matzot meal (or cornmeal)
oil for frying (shallow)

1. Boil the potatoes until tender, drain and mash.
2. In a separate pan - pour in the oil and water, heat, and cook the mushrooms for about 3 mins.
3. In a large bowl mix the mashed potatoes, chopped onions and mushrooms, (add the cooking liquid, if any, a little at a time for right consistency), seasonings and matzot or cornmeal.
4. Form into croquettes / patties.You could also finely coat the outside with meal - or flour if not using for Passover.
5. Fry for about 8 mins on each side.

serve hot as a main with salads or a side veg. with meat or poultry.

Speedy Shepherds Pie - with Cooked Lamb

I bought a ready-prepared piece of lamb in red wine sauce and roasted it - I didn't think it was that good so I minced the meat in the food processor (saving the gravy).  I also had a pack of Ready-Mashed Potatoes  ...........  Perfect! ........  made a Shepherds Pie .........

Ingredients & Method:
1. Place the minced cooked lamb into your oven-proof dish.
2. Fry over some roughly chopped Chestnut Mushrooms and a small chopped onion - fry until just softened.
3. Add the layer of mushrooms and onion on top of the meat.
Season to taste.
4. Pour some (or all) of the sauce/gravy on top of the meat - depending how wet you like the dish.
5. Break up the ready-mashed-potato and fork it on top of the meat.
If wanted, pour a little melted butter over the potatoes and bake at approx. 190 deg.C until the mixture is bubbling and the potatoes are just 'tipping' brown.

Serve with a nice green veg such as sprouts - (this may be contraversial! :) ) and Heinz Baked Beans - (excellent).

PS: Apologies - this is not my photo - we ate it too quick!

Easy Lamb Hotpot - All-in-one Dish

There are several methods of making this dish, the recipe I've given below is pretty straightforward, as you just layer everything into your casserole - without precooking anything.  However, you can cook the lamb stew in advance, and add sliced par-boiled potatoes on top afterwards and brown them in the oven - as per Jamie Oliver's version:

Ingredients: enough for 2 or 3 (or 4 smaller portions)
approx. 1lb. lamb steaks - trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces - (you can use any other suitable cuts)
1 large courgette
1 stick or 2 of celery
1 large tomato
3 or 4 potatoes
1 onion
1 large carrot
couple of garlic cloves - peeled and chopped
Try and cut the vegetables into approx. the same size chunks
handful of barley - if wanted
dried oregano, fresh rosemary (if poss)
salt and pepper
flour

Lay the vegetables, except the potato and onion, on the bottom of your casserole.
Dredge a little flour over the top, some salt and pepper and the herbs.
You could also throw in a handful of barley - which is lovely with lamb.
Toss the lamb pieces in seasoned flour and place on top.
Add the potatoes and onions.
Pour hot water or stock over the top to just about cover - a little less is fine.
Season the top layer of veg.

I cover the casserole with a layer of either greaseproof or cooking parchment, then a cover of double-foil.  (A lid is fine :) )

Oven: 
1. about an hour at 190 deg.C
2. turn the oven temperature down a little and cook for another hour or so,
3. then you can just leave it in the oven at about 100 deg.C until you want it.  The longer it cooks - it's just fine.

If you find the gravy hasn't come out thickly enough for you - just carefully strain it off, add some slaked arrowroot or cornstarch and reheat it separately in a small saucepan - this should thicken it up to your taste.  Pour it back over the casserole.

Mashed Potato/cheese/onion - Very Quick Supper dish

Ingredients:
Oven: 190/200 deg.C 
Approx. 20-mins to 1/2 hr. cooking time**
Buttered tin approx. 6" x 8" x 2" deep

1 or 2 packs of 'ready' mashed potato (400/800g.) (depending how much you need)
1 onion, peeled, chopped and sauteed in oil and butter (inc.clove of garlic if wanted.)
approx. 3ozs. (plus or minus) Cheddar Cheese - or hard cheese of choice - grated
1 large egg - beaten (if using 2 packs of potato - use 2 eggs)
Salt/Pepper

Mix the mashed potato, cheese, onion and beaten egg together and season to taste.*
Place in the tin  and smooth out.
Add a little more grated cheese on top and bake until going golden -  still looks nice, without being too burnt!  - (timing isn't too crucial**)

* Before putting the mashed potato in, you could place, another cooked vegetable layer down, or .....
eg:  bacon bits (cooked), peas, baked beans, sausages - anything you may fancy as long as it's pre-cooked.

The potato cooked on its own will keep very well in the fridge (covered) and you could use it throughout the week - (until you get fed up with it that is).

Butter

While trying to whip some double cream for topping a cheesecake - something wasn't going right - though not quite sure what.  When I put it on to the cheesecake, it started sliding about - probably had overwhipped it.  I scraped it off and rather than waste it I carried on beating it with the electric whisk and was thinking 'butter', which I hadn't a clue what actually to do.  I carried on beating until it looked as though it had curdled, beat it some more until a liquid began to seep out.  I decided this was probably the whey, poured it off and continued beating it until I saw virtually no liquid  coming out.  (Put it into a sieve just in case, for the last few drops). ..... (I had added some salt and lemon juice but nothing else.)

I then began to pat it together with a flat knife, and lo and behold it looked like butter, felt like butter, definitely tasted like a creamy butter - - - - so presume I have made butter! :)

300 ml. of double cream (plus salt) will make approx. 6ozs. of butter.

 

Wh-hey!  ..... sorry about the pun :( 

Chicken Balls - really easy

Ingredients:
8ozs. (225g)  cooked and boned chicken
4 ozs. bread - crusts removed
(2 ozs. pistachio nuts finely chopped or blitzed - if wanted)
1 tablspn. olive or a salad oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt and white pepper

flour for coating before frying
Sunflower or similar oil for frying

1. Soak the bread in some water and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. Set aside.
2. Blitz, mince or chop the chicken in your food processor. (Include the pistachios if using).  Remove to a large bowl.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, to taste, (except the flour) - measurements are not crucial.   Knead thoroughly.
4. Shape into patties or small balls, and gently roll in flour.  Shake off the excess flour and drop into hot oil (the oil doesn't need to cover the balls - you can turn them over).
5. Fry until golden, remove and leave on kitchen paper to get rid of excess oil.

TIP: dont try and turn them over too early - they will tell you when they're ready!  When the underside has a crust on it, it's usually ready to turn.  Use a flat spatula.

These can also be poached in soup and served hot.
Are also good eaten cold.

Claudia Roden recipe.

Quick Crab Cakes/Patties

there are only 4! as I ate one before taking the pic!

 

 Ingredients: enough for 5

1 tin of white crabmeat (121 g.)

1 beaten egg

about 1 tablspn. melted butter

fresh breadcrumbs

small amount of chopped fresh corriander

lemon zest

little salt, black pepper

flour

groundnut oil

This is a really basic recipe, and are very nice plain,  but you could add your choice of herbs or other stuff ........ if you keep tinned crabmeat in your larder, they are a good standby.

1. In your food processor, blitz the crabmeat, beaten egg, melted butter.

2. Put this  mixture into a bowl and add some breadcrumbs and seasoning. Mix well together and add more breadcrumbs to make a nice pattie-texture - (not too wet, not to dry!)

3. Season to taste, adding the lemon zest.

4. Heat a few inches of groundnut oil in your wok/pan

5. Make the mixture into patties or balls, roll in flour, once or twice - depending how 'wet' they may be, reshape again. 

I put mine into the oil with a slotted spoon, and just pat them down a little.

6. Fry in the hot oil, but (try and) wait until they are just brown before turning them over.

They only need frying for a few minutes on each side.

Drain them on kitchen paper - nosh!

Chicken Casserole - from vintage Pressure Cooking book

While browsing though some old books, I found this second-hand (vintage) book and there are some really funny recipes in it.  The book was first published in 1948, when pressure cookers first came out, and they must have seemed magic!

There is a recipe in the book for something called "Matelote" which requires 1lb.liver or whale meat! - (not normally found too easily in Waitrose!)

Here's a fairly simple (and normal) Chicken Casserole recipe: (4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 jointed chicken

3 skinned, deseeded and chopped tomatoes

12 pickling onions - whole

1 clove of crushed garlic

salt and pepper, seasoned flour

1 oz. margerine 

1/4lb. mushrooms

1/2 cup of white wine and 1/2 cup of water

1. Toss the chicken in seasoned flour

2. Melt the fat in cooker and fry the chicken joints until golden brown.

3. Add the mushrooms and brown slightly, the add the tomatoes, onions, garlic, liquids, and pressure cook for 20 mins.

4. Reduce the pressure with cold water and serve.

If you dont own a pressure cooker any more - (I dont) - just fry over the ingredients and either slow cook or bake in oven until done - - - serve with mashed potatoes.  

I would also substitute the margerine for either butter, sunflower or olive oil.

Corncakes and Salsa

Ingredients:
2.1/2 cups of water
2 cups of Masa Instantanea - precooked yellow maize meal (as above pic.)
salt and pepper to taste
1 small tin of sweetcorn - drained - (if wanted - otherwise make them 'plain')
amount of grated cheese - to own taste (cheddar or similar)
Corn oil for frying

Pour the water into a large bowl and add the maize meal, stir, then add the cheese and sweetcorn.
Stir well to combine, and as you stir, it will thicken.
Leave for about 5-10 mins. and stir again.
It should be a thick enough consistency to be able to roll (a rounded dessertspoonful) into a ball, flatten out a little and fry in hot corn oil.

 

Don't try and turn them over until one side is done -
when ready, lift around the edges slightly, and turn over using a flat, heat-resistant spatula.

Cook until golden, and drain on kitchen paper.

              

Ingredients for Salsa:

4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped (2 cups)

1 medium red onion, chopped finely (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup chopped green Pepper (1/2 medium)

1/2 cup chopped fresh corriander

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 large jalapeño chile, seeded, finely chopped (2 tablespoons)

Mix all the ingredients together in a non-metallic bowl - (glass, pottery)

- refrigerate and leave to 'blend' for a short time.

 Recipe for Sweet Potato Cornbread

Chicken (Sausage) Roll - easy

Oven: 180/190 deg. C
Ingredients:
Filling:
1 pack (approx.8) chicken sausages (I used Marks & Spencer's)
Remove the skins and discard, and place the sausagemeat in a mixing bowl.
Then ....
1 chopped leek (white part)
2 cloves of garlic - chopped
1 Spring Onion - (peeled) chopped
handful of pinenuts
Saute the above in about a tablespoon of oil and a knob of butter, until the leeks/onions are softened, cool, then add to sausagemeat, with
Handful of chopped fresh corriander
some grated lemon zest (optional)
2 apples - peeled and chopped
Mix together well.

Pastry:
8ozs. Self-raising flour (or Plain Flour + 1 large tsp of baking powder)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 - 1 tsp. dried Basil
Pinch of dried Thyme
4 fl.ozs. Sunflower Oil
Plus enough cold water to make a nice dough - add a couple of tablespoons of water at a time.

Mix all the dough ingredients together (food processor is fine), 
Bring the dough together and roll into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface.  
Grease a flat baking tray, and move the dough carefully on to this.
Place the Filling along the centre of the rectangle, fold in the short side pieces, and bring up the long sides to cover, and pinch together.
Glaze with a beaten egg, and sprinkle some Sesame Seeds on top, if fancied.
Using a skewer, make a few holes in the pastry top, (in a pattern - maybe 3 each side) -

Bake for 1/2 - 3/4 hr. - check to see if nicely browned and you may see the filling bubbling through.
Leave to cool or get cold - I think this is nicer eaten cold.
Serve sliced with mustard and a lovely green dressed salad.

Great for a picnic, or just grazing from the fridge at weekends :)
I wrap mine in greaseproof paper and foil, and it keeps well in the fridge for a good few days.

Apple and Blueberry Crumble with Coconut - easy

This recipe really doesn't need exact measurements of fruit - 

Oven: 180/190 deg. C- 1/2 hr to 3/4 hr should be fine - longer is ok.

Ingredients for the Crumble Mix:
8ozs. flour
4 ozs. butter
2-3 ozs. sugar
1-2 ozs. dessicated coconut

I use my food processor and crumb the butter and flour, and add the sugar and coconut. Mix together and set aside.

Filling:
2 supermarket-sized packages of Blueberries (approx. 1lb. - more or less) - rinsed
4 - 6 peeled, cored, and chunkily chopped apples - cooking apples or sweet eaters are fine - use less sugar if using sweeter apples
approx. 2 tablespoons of sugar and a little cinnamon - sprinkled over the fruit.
NOTE: If the fruit is sweet - I have made the filling with just the fruit and no extra sugar on it.
Small amount of water (about 1/2" to 1") or apple juice, in the base of the dish - 
(the amount of liquid also depends on how juicy the fruit is, but on average about 1/2" is fine.)

Butter an ovenproof dish and place the fruit inside
Sprinkle some sugar, if using, over the fruit, then the Crumble Mix.
Bake - I've found it is better if not overbaked and although the juice is bubbling through the crumb, the fruit is still fairly whole.

If you have any spare crumble mix - this freezes very well.

 

 Bake until the juices start to bubble through the crumble mix, and the crumble is beginning to colour.

Serve with pouring cream, custard or Ice Cream

Deelicious!

Fruit Loaf - Super and Super Easy

This recipe is almost fat-free - apart from the egg of course, but no other fat is added.

Oven temp: 180 - 190 C. or 325 F.
Time: approx. 45 - 50 mins.
Ingredients: 
2 cups mixed dried fruit
1 cup brown sugar (you could use half soft brown and half Demerara - or any mix you like really)
1 cup of hot strong black tea
1 tablespoon of Molasses (Black Treacle) - optional but is good.
 
1 egg - medium or large
2 cups self-raising flour - sifted

Place first 4 ingredients into a bowl, stir well to dissolve sugar and leave (covered) overnight.

The next morning - stir in the beaten egg and sifted flour.
Mix well, pour into a baking tin - leaving at least 2" from the top. This will ensure that the top of the cake doesn't brown too quickly.

Test with skewer to see if cooked after about 1/2 hr. if you have a fan oven.  When cooked through, the loaf should be firm to the touch in the centre.

Cool and eat slices spread with butter and/or jam, - - - - - yum!

This also keeps really well in an air-tight container.

Chicken Pie with Leftovers - very easy

(cute pic - - - - - sorry chick!)

Oven: 180/190 - approx. 45 mins.
Ingredients:
your leftover chicken, (skin and bones removed) and cut into bite-size chunks - if making a smaller pie, adjust the amount of sauce poured into the pie, according to the amount of chicken/sausages put in.
3 or 4 sausages - cooked and cut into chunky slices
2 celery stalks (peeled if necessary), thinly sliced
1 onion - peeled and chopped
approx. 8ozs. chestnut mushrooms - quartered - (remove end of stalk if dry)
Some teeny corn on the cobs - sliced or 1/2 cup of sweetcorn.
clove of garlic - peeled and chopped

Sauce:
1/2pt. chicken stock, 1 rounded tablespoon of  plain flour and approx. 1.5 oz. of butter,
(seasoning if needed)  - this sauce is for inside the pie.
- double this amount if you want some extra sauce for pouring when serving.

Block of ready-made Puff Pastry - the rolling-out-type-pastry seems to rise better than the 'sheets'.
1 beaten egg for glazing pastry.
Sunflower or Olive Oil for frying the veg.
Seasoning - if using bought stock cubes or the jellied ones, check for seasoning as they are usually salty.

Method:
A. Place the chicken and sausage pieces into an oven proof pie dish.
1. Using approx. a couple of tablespoons of hot oil, saute the celery, onion and garlic until softened and add to the chicken/sausages.

2. Saute the mushrooms and teeny corncobs  (if using) until 'just' done and add to the chicken - with the sweetcorn.

3. Make sauce: Place all the ingredients into a micro jug, zap and stir often until the sauce has thickened. Cool or let this go cold.
Pour over the chicken.

4. Cut a small thin slice of pastry off of the block, and roll, by hand, into a long thin sausage that will fit around your dish.  Brush the dish with eggwash and stick the strip around the dish.
Roll out your pastry to fit the dish, place on top of the 'strip' then trim off any excess. Crimp the edges of the pastry or use a fork to make a pattern and to press the pastry on.
TIP: Roll out pastry on Klingfilm stretched out on to your working surface - very lightly floured  

Make a few skewer holes in the pastry lid and decorate with leftover pastry if wanted.
Brush with beaten egg and bake until beautifully golden and puffed.

This is a pretty adaptable recipe. You can add in anything you fancy really - it can be made in advance and at different stages, but make sure all the ingredients are cold - (eg. cold sauce - not hot - poured over the cooked chicken/sausages).

Apologies for not having a photo, but I didn't think to take one before we ate it!

(It did look lovely! :) )

Lemon Meringue Pie - (inc. really quick recipe too)

 

I think after Christmas, although you dont exactly lose your sweet-tooth - it's nice to have something with a bit of sharpness .......... this is a 'proper' recipe but below I have given a really quick version.....

Oven: 180deg.C - preheated

Ingredients: makes 2 pies (or one really large one!)

Pastry: either use 'sweet' bought/ready-made pastry ... or ....

500g (1lb.2ozs.) fine plain flour

175g (6ozs.) icing sugar 

1 lemon - zest of

250g (9ozs.) butter - cold and cubed

1 medium egg + 2 yolks

1/2 tsp. vanilla essence

Meringue: 

4 medium egg whites

100g (3ozs.) caster sugar

Lemon Curd:

3 egg yolks - left from the whites

50ml, (2 fl.oz.) double cream

450ml. (16fl.ozs) really good lemon curd - 'bought' is easy :)

1. Make the pastry: sift the flour and sugar and add the lemon zest.  Work in the butter until you have 'crumbs'.

2. Making a well in the middle, add the egg and vanilla together and pour into the well.  Gradually stir in the flour, taking a little more in the centre with each sweep of the spoon.

3. Loosely press out the pastry and divide into two balls.  Cover with Klingfilm and chill them for at least 1/2 hr.

*4. Roll out each ball of pastry and press into a tin, leaving a little overlap - bake blind, using some scrunched foil and baking beans, and bake for 10 mins.  Remove the foil/baking beans and cook for a further 15 mins.

5. Make the meringue - by whisking the (4) whites and (3ozs.) caster sugar until stiff peaks are formed.

Assembling the pies:

a) Whip the (3) yolks, (50ml) double cream and (450ml)  lemon curd and pour into the prebaked pastry shells.

b) Top the pies with the whipped egg whites - spooning them on, and smooth with a palette knife.

c) Bake for 40 mins. at 170 deg.C  and when cooked the meringue will be slightly golden on top and soft in the middle.

This recipe is from the Duchy Originals Cookbook.

 for a really quick version:

Oven: 190 deg. C - - 45 mins

1 pack of ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry + 9" shallow baking tin

approx. 8 tablspns. of ready-made lemon curd (or more :) )

Meringue: 6 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks then + whisk/beat in 300g caster sugar - 

you should get a lovely shiny stiff meringue

   think it is a good idea to either pre-bake the pastry case, or partly pre-bake it or buy one ready made - roll out pastry , place in tin, trim overlap. (*If pre-baking - see above recipe).

Place lemon curd in pastry case, top with the meringue and bake -

serving warm or cold

Angel Cake Waldorf - with chocolate filling

Oven: 190 deg.C : 375 deg. F
Baking time: 30 - 35 mins approx.
Angel Cake tin preferably - (with hole in centre)

(A) Ingredients:
2 ozs. self-raising flour (50g)
3.1/2 ozs. caster sugar  (approx. 99g)
1. Sift these ingredients together.*

(B) 6 egg whites + pinch of salt
3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
3ozs. caster sugar
3 drops of vanilla essence and 2 drops of almond essence

2. Whisk eggs whites and salt until foamy.
3. Add the caster sugar - about 2 tbls. at a time, then add the essences.
  Continue whisking until the whites reach the stiff 'peak' stage
4. Carefully fold in the flour and cream of tartar.  Make sure all the flour is folded in.
5. Turn into a clean, dry tin (ungreased) and gently level the surface.  Draw a knife carefully through the mix to break any air bubbles or tap it gently(ish) on to your work surface) which will also help get rid of any bubbles.
6. Bake. 
When the cake is done, cool slightly, loosen around all edges and place the tin upside down on to a wire rack -  it should drop out as it cools.  If it doesn't - gently ease it up with a flat knife.
Leave till cold and decorate with the chocolate filling.

Filling:
3 - 4 ozs. good plain chocolate
1 - 2 tblspns. water

1. Melt the chocolate gently in a bain-marie - (over hot water - don't let the base of your bowl touch the hot water)
Stir gently until shiny and smooth.
2. then add
1/2 pt. double (thick) cream - whipped until beginning just thick - (don't overbeat)
Add 1 dessert spoon of caster sugar - whip in - should be 'peaky' - but not too stiff - should just hold its shape.
3. Gently mix the cream and the chocolate together. 
4. Cut the cake in half - carefully - and spread over some of the filling - use the remaining filling for the outside, and in the centre of you have enough.

TIPS: You can bake the cake the day before you need it, keep in the tin and cover the top with klingfilm.  (I just loosen it a little, around the sides and the 'hole' section.)  
The next day - turn it upside down, tap it a couple of times, and it 'should' drop out!  
You can then freshly decorate it, and keep it in the fridge until needed.  

This cake is tricky to move once it's decorated, so it's best to 'frost' it while on the plate you wish to serve it on. If then storing in your fridge, cover it with a large enough bowl or dish to protect from marauders :) !.

It does also freeze very well, when decorated with the chocolate too.
You can fill the centre with fresh fruit i.e. strawberries, raspberries - your choice - with extra fruit on the side.

This cake is delicious!

This isn't my pic.unfortunately -  but mine looks like this one before the choc decoration!

Bakewell Pudding - Victorian Recipe

Oven: 200 deg.C (Gas 6) - approx. 45 mins to 1 hr.
Ingredients: Serves 4-5

225g of Puff Pastry (or shortcrust) *
5 eggs - medium
125g (4ozs) caster sugar
125g (4ozs) unsalted butter - melted
50g (approx. 2oz) ground almonds
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. almond essence
Strawberry, Raspberry or Black Cherry Jam

1. Roll out the pastry (use a piece of Klingfilm**, top and bottom, so it doesn't stick - - - or flour your surface)
2. Line a greased flan tin with the pastry, prick the base with a fork, and trim off the excess ***.
3. Spoon the jam on to the pastry base - spread over using the back of the spoon.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugar, for a minute or so, until frothy, and stir in the butter, the almonds plus a few drops of the essence.  Mix well.
5. Carefully pour this mixture into the pastry case, almost to the top, and bake until the filling is 'set' and becoming golden brown.  Carefully cover with foil if getting too brown.

 don't be tempted to put too much jam on

the pastry base



Excellent eaten warm :)

* Ingredients for a Sweet Short Crust Pastry
225g plain flour
50g lard (white vegetable lard is fine) - cut into small chunks
50g butter - as above
1/4 teaspoon of salt : 1/2 tsp sugar
 3 - 6 tablespoons very cold water
keep everything as cool as possible when making
Chill the pastry while making the filling.

** You can also use a plastic bread bag, cut so that it's a flat sheet, and roll out  pastry on this.  Don't forget to cover the top of the pastry too - this makes it much easier to roll out and wont stick. 

*** Use the extra pastry to make some little biscuits (cookies).  If you have any extra filling you could make some small tarts.



TIP: Have a metal baking sheet in the oven while it is heating up and place the Bakewell Pud on this, so that the pastry base gets cooked through.

Essentially England - link to some traditional recipes

Creamed Corn Casserole - (Cornbread) - very easy (and delicious!)

       

A friend gave me this recipe years ago, and I still love it. 

It's really handy to keep in the fridge, specially if you like grazing!

Oven: 350 deg.F or 180/90 deg.C
Ingredients:
1 can of whole corn (13.1/2 ozs) - rinsed and drained
1 can of creamed corn (13.1/2 ozs - 383 grms.)
1 cup of sour cream
3/4 cup of plain white flour (or self-raising but omit the baking powder*)
3/4 cup of corn meal
2 tblspns. sugar
3/4 tblspn. baking powder*
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt
4 ozs. butter
2 eggs - beaten

1. Stir all the ingredients together
2. Pour into a buttered ovenproof dish
3. Bake for approx. 1 hr.  It should be 'set'.
4. Cut into squares - and eat!

This keeps really well (covered) in the fridge and is lovely eaten cold too.

Matzot Omlette - (Matzot Brei)

 

This is really easy to make, and is usually eaten at Passover. It's very quick and makes a filling snack - you can also eat it cold - but it's better hot. 

There are lots of different ways of making it, either sweet or savoury - with - salt, sugar & lemon, honey, maple syrup etc. whatever really takes your fancy.  My father used to add a little Kosher wine and cinnamon.  

This is the basic recipe:

Ingredients:
1 square matzot and 1 egg per person
Seasoning,
knob of butter and some sunflower oil (for frying) - that's basically it!

1. Break the matzot into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over. Leave for a few minutes until the matzot has softened - then squeeze out as much water as you can.  (Using a sieve and potato masher is a bit less messy!)
2. In a separate bowl beat your eggs, adding salt and pepper if having the omlette savoury.
3. Mix the eggs and the matzot well together, and pour into the (hot) frying pan - having melted the butter and oil.
4. Make as a normal omlette by drawing up the sides and letting the raw mixture underneath.
5. Fry until almost set on top, then place under the grill to finish and become golden.

Test with a skewer to make sure the omlette is cooked all through.  If not, then cover with foil until done.
I always place my omlettes under the grill - this saves having to turn them over - which can always be a bit fiddly.

!Enjoy!

Lamb and Mutton Slow Cooked & Gratin Potatoes

this is a very easy - (cant really go wrong) recipe, and is a lovely autumn/wintery dish ........ This recipe is thanks to Raymond Blanc - although I did tweak it a little (excuse me M. Blanc) .............

Menu: 
Mutton Casserole : Barley with Leek : Creamy Gratin Potatoes
Oven: 230 C for about 30 mins, then lower to l50 for approx. 4 hrs. (or more)

Ingredients for Meat Casserole:

lamb and mutton pieces - I used mutton pieces and lamb fillet (cut into pieces)

olive/sunflower oil

salt

fresh herbs (if poss:   rosemary,marjoram (oregano), few sage leaves, couple of sprigs of thyme

large clove of garlic

Carrot, White Onion, Celery - few other veg. of choice, if wanted
I used a mixture of Sherry & Apple Juice as my stock liquid - have enough to cover the meat - you may need to add some more later on.

I also kept back the small pieces of bone, and roasted them beforehand to add to the casserole - though this is optional.  You could do this while leaving the meat to marinate.

Method:

1. Combine in a bowl with your meat: 

little olive or sunflower oil

a large clove of crushed garlic, 

fresh herbs - rosemary,marjoram (oregano), few sage leaves, couple of sprigs of thyme (remove twigs!) and salt.

Rub into the meat and leave, covered,  to infuse for a short time.

2. Place all the above (and roasted bones if using) into your large casserole, and add:

1 large peeled and chunkily chopped carrot

1 white onion - peeled and also chunkily chopped

couple of celery sticks - chopped

courgette if fancied and any other veg you fancy putting in.  Turn all of this over very well so that they are well coated and mixed together.
Add your stock liquid.

Tuck a piece of greaseproof paper in over the top and cover the casserole tightly with foil or a lid.

3. Place in oven for approx. 30 mins on a high heat, then lower. 

Baste from time to time, adjusting the seasoning if necessary (adding freshly ground black pepper).

Potato Gratin:
Peeled and parboiled Potatoes - I used 3 large Maris Pipers plus about 8 small ones.
500 ml. whipping cream, S and P
clove of crushed garlic
Small amount of Thyme
knob of butter for greasing baking dish

The potatoes are parboiled first, then sliced, layered and seasoned, into a buttered dish, 

add your whipping cream (or whipping and single cream) + large clove of crushed garlic.

Cover with greaseproof then foil.

This is baked at approx. 160/180 C or bake for longer if put in with the mutton casserole (though obviously for less time than the meat) - 

Remove the foil when the potatoes are almost cooked,

Bake until bubbling and the potatoes are going brown (in parts) - test with a skewer to see if cooked through.  

Re-cover with foil and leave longer if not completely cooked.  If making a larger quantity remember this will take well over an hour or more to cook through.
Somehow, the longer you leave these potatoes, the tastier they are!

I also cooked some barley in my rice cooker. (I think lamb and barley go well together).

8 ozs. pearl barley - rinsed and soaked for about an hour

1/2 large leek - sliced, S and P 
small knob of butter.

Approx. 1.1/4pts. Vegetable Stock - you may need to add more as the barley soaks up a lot of liquid.

Cook as per Cooker instructions.


I cooked some peas as well to go with this, as I felt some 'green' was needed!  (Artistic license!)

Cheese & Onion Pie with Red Pepper

Oven: 180/190 deg. C - approx. 30/45 mins. - until pie is a good golden colour.

Ingredients:

Pastry made with 8 ozs.SR Flour : 4 ozs. butter : Salt and Pepper : 2 - 3 tbls. cold water - enough to make a nice pastry ball in your food processor : Chill for about 30 mins.

little cornmeal or semolina

3 onions (medium) peeled, 1/4d

1 large red pepper - deseeded and chopped smallish

large clove of garlic - peeled and crushed

Olive Oil, small knob of butter

salt, pepper and dried oregano

8ozs. cheddar or hard/crumbly cheese of choice - use a milder cheese (e.g. Wensleydale) if you dont like a strong cheesey taste.

3 beaten eggs - save a little for glazing pie

1. Keeping some pastry back for the lid - roll out on a floured surface, and line your buttered dish with the pastry, prick with a fork and sprinkle a little semolina or cornmeal over base.  Chill in fridge, while making filling.

2. Put onions and garlic in the food processor and chop - not too finely.  Add the chopped red pepper.

3. Saute these veg. in the olive oil and butter until soft, adding dried herbs - remove to large bowl - cool slightly.  Taste for seasoning.

4. Put the cheese into the processor and whizz until you have largeish crumbs.

5. Add the cheese to the beaten eggs then add to the sauted veggies.

6. Pour mixture into your pastry case, roll out the lid, brush a little egg on the edges and seal on your lid.  Make a small hole in the centre of the pie.

Place on a baking sheet - which also helps cook the pastry base.  (You can preheat this.)

This is lovely eaten cold and is a really good picnic food.

Keeps well in fridge.

Delicious eaten with a good mango chutney and baked beans!